KSR Staff Predictions: Kentucky vs. Gonzaga

by: KSR18 hours ago

Kentucky has lost to all three ranked teams it has faced this season, most recently No. 16 North Carolina at home on Tuesday. Tonight, the Cats have a chance to get their first big win vs. No. 11 Gonzaga in Nashville, the fourth installment in the six-year series between the two squads.

Both teams are coming off losses, the Cats losing to UNC by three on Tuesday night, and Gonzaga by 40 to Michigan in the Players Era Championship last week. We know Kentucky will be without Mo Dioubate (ankle). The jury is still out on Jaland Lowe (shoulder), who went through a full-contact practice on Thursday with no setbacks. The Cats sure could use him tonight vs. a Gonzaga team that is talented and experienced. The Zags are led by Braden Huff (15.8 PPG) and Graham Ike (15.0 PPG), who have played in all three previous games vs. Kentucky in the series.

Will the Cats bounce back against the talented Zags? Optimism is low in the BBN and KSR Compound. Here are our Parlour Pizza Pregame Predictions.

Tyler Thompson

Do I really believe Kentucky will beat Gonzaga tonight in Nashville? Not really. It’s hard to have a lot of faith in this squad to upset any ranked team right now, let alone the No. 11 Bulldogs, who are coming off over a week of rest after running into a buzzsaw vs. Michigan in Las Vegas. Sure, Gonzaga lost by 40, but it was their third game in three days, and Michigan might just be that good. Plus, the Bulldogs beat Alabama by 10 a few days prior.

I think you can throw out Gonzaga’s last loss. Kentucky’s? Not so much. The Cats were BAD vs. North Carolina, going over ten minutes without a field goal in the second half, making just 1-13 threes, and letting the Tar Heels own the glass. Gonzaga ranks No. 6 in the country in rebounds per game, at 44.6 per game. Tonight, Kentucky won’t have Mo Dioubate, which means that Graham Ike will probably eat the Cats alive inside.

Every fiber of my being is telling me this will be another bad night, with Kentucky picking up its fourth loss of the season to deepen Big Blue Nation’s depression. However, this game is on my home turf, and I’m not quite ready to accept that the Cats are this bad. Give me Kentucky in a close, ugly one, a prediction made entirely by my heart and not my head. Please play, Jaland Lowe.

Score: Kentucky 75, Gonzaga 73

Nick Roush

Graham Ike doesn’t get enough credit for being this generation’s Perry Ellis. That man has been guzzling up rebounds and throwing guys around in the paint since Obama was in office.

Ike was unstoppable at Rupp Arena against UK’s rail-thin line in 2024, scoring 23 points on 20-17 from the floor. Malachi Moreno and Brandon Garrison have a little more to push back against Ike, but he’s too talented and experienced to be bottled up for 40 minutes.

I’m optimistic that we will see a much more inspiring performance from the Wildcats on Friday night. After all, we saw Otega Oweh make some magic in this arena a year ago. But like most of Big Blue Nation, I’m not too hopeful at all. Unless the Cats get hot from downtown, things will go from bad to worse.

Score: Gonzaga 85, Kentucky 78

Adam Luckett

Kentucky’s game against North Carolina was just the second this season to finish under 70 possessions. I have a feeling that could end up being a trend. This is not how Mark Pope wants to play basketball, but it feels like UK’s only option right now. They must slow games down and lean on their defense.

But the rebounding needs to improve.

Gonzaga will attempt to jam the ball into the paint against Kentucky. This is going to be a tough challenge for Malachi Moreno and Brandon Garrison. It’s a tough matchup to not have Mo Dioubate for. The Zags struggle to shoot from three, but own great positional size throughout the lineup.

Kentucky cannot get into a track meet. If the game slows down, the Cats should hang around and have a chance to win it late. The difference will be that Gonzaga will just able to create easier buckets. If both teams are cold from three, this could be a race to 65 points.

Score: Gonzaga 74, Kentucky 68

Zack Geoghegan

Even if Jaland Lowe is able to play, it will not change my mind on how this one plays out for Kentucky. Gonzaga is better than the ‘Cats last opponent, North Carolina, and this game will be played away from Rupp Arena. The Bulldogs might just be the best team UK has faced all season, too. Like UNC, Gonzaga is led by its frontcourt. 6-foot-10 Braden Huff and 6-foot-9 Graham Ike are Mark Few’s best players. Malachi Moreno, Andrija Jelavić, and Kam Williams will have their hands full once again in the frontcourt. Gonzaga as a whole is in line with the Tar Heels in terms of offensive rebounding. UK should at least be better prepared to deal with it this time around, but I’m not optimistic that the problem will get fixed within a week.

Gonzaga will be hungry coming off a 40-point loss to Michigan last week. How will Kentucky respond to its last loss? The Wildcats are staring down a possible 0-4 start to the season against ranked teams. A program that is already in a bad spot could fall even further by the end of the night. UK has to hit threes to give them a chance, but even then, it’s just hard to find any positivity with this group. It’s desperation time. I think Gonzaga is just the better team.

Get the Daily On3 Newsletter in your inbox every morning

By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.

Score: Gonzaga 79, Kentucky 70

Jacob Polacheck

Sorry, I can’t do it. I can’t pick Kentucky to win this game. Not after what I’ve seen from this team in the last month.

It’s been a rough past few weeks for Kentucky, culminating with an ugly, albeit close, loss to North Carolina in Rupp Arena. UK has been without Jaland Lowe, Jayden Quaintance, and Mo Dioubate of late, and even if Lowe can return on Friday, it will be an uphill battle for the Cats.

Gonzaga is coming in looking for revenge. After UK’s stunning come-from-behind win last season, Gonzaga returns Braden Huff and Graham Ike in the frontcourt, which could give Kentucky plenty of problems. Maybe Mark Pope and the Cats prove me wrong, but right now I don’t see this team pulling this one off.

Score: Gonzaga 84, Kentucky 71

Jack Pilgrim

To say I’m deflated about this Kentucky basketball season would be an understatement. Nothing has gone right on the floor, and injuries have destroyed the team, despite boasting one of the deepest teams in the country. These Wildcats beat No. 1 Purdue in a sold-out exhibition contest and looked like juggernauts, only to crumble essentially immediately after. After losing three straight to open the season against real competition, they may have their toughest opponent yet in Nashville.

Where does optimism come from? Well, I really don’t know — this matchup in particular is a brutal one, Gonzaga boasting one of the nastiest frontcourts in the sport, headlined by Graham Ike, who has been destroying Kentucky for what feels like a decade now. The Bulldogs are also coming off a 40-point loss to Michigan and had to let that one marinate for nine days. Oh, and they’re also looking for revenge after letting the Wildcats come back by 18 points to beat them in Seattle a year ago. Everything is pointing toward the Zags here.

But that’s exactly why Kentucky is going to leave Bridgestone Arena with a victory — backs against the wall, sink or swim to prove itself as a serious contender. This team believes in a response, Mark Pope still sees greatness. I guess I’m going to, as well.

Shots finally fall, especially late, and the Wildcats claw their way to victory to finally get back on track. Otega Oweh is my game MVP.

Score: Kentucky 81, Gonzaga 79

Make PARLOUR your game day destination! From the fan-favorite Hot Honey Pepperoni pizza to the house-smoked wings, as well as an extensive craft beer selection, PARLOUR has a menu that will please the whole family! On game days, make sure to head to their location on Harrodsburg Rd., just a short drive from Rupp Arena. Check out their full menu at EatParlour.com.